Account-register.



A. F. STAPLES. ACCOUNT REGISTER. APPLICATION FILED JUNBB. 1911.,

Y Patented Apr. 2, 1912.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

1 7571 @g wnifiauidma A; F. STAPLES. ACCOUNT REGISTER. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8. 1911 1,022,001 Patented Apr. 2, 1912.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH (20., WASHINGTON. D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. I

ALBERT F. STAPLES, OF C-ANIST'EO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 SUPERIORBEGISTER COMPANY, OF GANISTE-O, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

AocoiINr-REeIsTEB.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALBERT F. STAPLES, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Canisteo, in the county of Steuben and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Account- Registers, of which the following is a specification. This invention relates to account-registers of the type in which a plurality of billholder frames are pivotally mounted at the 'tion of the means by which the frames are supported or relatively positioned when in use.

The object of the present invention is to produce an arrangement in which the billholder frames are provided in themselves with means for securing them together when not in use, these means being so constructed and arranged, however, that they do not secure the frames permanently together, so

"that the frames, may be readily detached from one another when necessary or desirable. This novel arrangement is particularly applicable to account-registers of the type in which the pivotal points of the billholder frames are arranged in an inclined plane when the frames are in use, as it permits the frames to be locked together in the process of their removal from the cabinet or support by a sliding movement of the frames, or a relative movement of the frames in their respective planes, this movement serving at once to bring the frames into the most compact position with their edges in alinement, and to secure operative engagement between the retaining-devices on the adjacent frames.

Other objects of the invention, and the features of construction by which they are attained, will be set forth in connection with Specification of Letters Patent.

, Patented Apr. 2, 1912.

Application filed June 8, 1911. Serial No. 632,092.

the following description of the illustrated embodiment of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings :Figure 1 is aside-elevation of anaccount-register embodying the present invention, with the near side of the cabinet removed to show the interior mechanism; Fig.2 is a side elevation, on a larger scale, of the lower portion of several of the bill-holder frames, showing them in normal upright position, Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a partial front-elevation of the account-register of Fig. 1 on a larger scale, and in sectionon the line 4-4 in Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is a side-elevation of the bill-holder frames as secured together and removed from the cabinet.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention each of the bill-holder frames comprises, as is common in such devices, a sheetmetal plate or body ,6 which is stiffened vertically and divided into compartments by ribs 8 secured to the front and the back of the body. Between these ribs bill-holder clips 7, of any ordinary or suitable form, are mounted upon the body 6 in the usual manner. The lower margin of the body-portion 6 of the bill-holder frames is rolled upon a wire which projects, at each end, beyond the lateral edge of the frame, so as to constitute pivots 9 for the frame.

The bill-holder frames just described are pivotally supported within a cabinet of ordinary form, comprising a base portion 10, a vertical back 11, and side-members 12. At the inner surface of each side-member is an inclined support 13 fixed tothe cabinet by theaccount register is in use, I provide locking-arms 15, of which one cooperates with each support 13. Each locking-arm is pivoted at its forward end upon a screw 16, and

in order to rigidly retain the screw in proper relative position to the corresponding support 13 the latter is provided with an offset lower extremity 17 through which the screw passes. \Vhen the locking-bar is in the position of Figs. 1 and 4 it engages the pivots 9 and prevents them from rising out of the notches in the support. The locking-bar is normally retained in this position by means of a beveled lug 19 fixed to the inner surface of the side-member 12 of the cabinet. This lug engages the locking bar'as shown in Fig. 1, and prevents it from swinging forward. When it is desired to release the frames, however, this may be done by means of a knob 18 at the upper end of the locking-bar. The resiliency of the bar permits it to be sprung inwardly sufliciently to pass the lug l9, and the locking-bar may then be swung forwardly. Prior to operating the locking-bar in this manner it is necessary to swing all of the bill-holder frames to horizontal position in order that access may be had to the knob 18.

In removing the billholder frames from the cabinet they are first swung to'horizontal position, as just described, and the locking-bars are swung forward to release the pivots. In order that the bill-holder frames may then be drawn forward upon each other into alining posit-ion the pivots 9 must first be raised from the notches in the supports, and some resistance is opposed to this operation owing to the upward inclination of the notches. To facilitate the removal of the pivots the locking-arms are arranged to perform the function of raising the pivots from the notches. To this end each locking-arm is formed at its lower end with a cam-shaped portion 20 which engages the corresponding pivot of the lowermost bill-holder frame. When the locking-arm is swung forwardly, as above described, the cam-shaped portion is rotated and acts to raise the pivot engaged thereby from its notch. Since the frames all rest in contact with each other at this time, this upward movement is transmitted to all of the superposed frames, so that their pivots also are raised from the notches, and accordingly the frames are all free to be drawn forwardly out of the cabinet.

The body-portions of the frames are stiffened at their lateral edges, as is common in such devices, and in the present instance the stiffening means are made integral also with means formed to constitute bearings between the adjacent frames as well as devices for securing the frames together when removed from the cabinet. As shown particularly in Figs. 2 and 3, each frame has at each lateral margin two metal ribs 21 and 22 in the form of angle-irons, applied to the front and the rear, respectively, of the body-portion and fixed by any suitable means, such as rivets. Between the tops and the bottoms of the frames these angle-irons are cut away or reduced in width so as to leave only sufficient material to impart the necessary stiffness to the frames. At the tops of the frames, however, they are left of full width so as to produce forward and rearward projections or chafing-pieces 23 and 24; which constitute bearings between the adjacent frames, as shown in Fig. 1. At the bottoms also of the frames the angleirons are left of full width so as to produce forward and rearward projections 33 and 3 1, respectively, constituting bearings be-.

tween the bottoms of the frames. Owing to the interengagement of these forward and rearward projections the frames, while normally free to have a relative sliding movement against each other, are closely confined against relative lateral movement and are held positively in lateral alinement when removed from the cabinet.

To hold the frames together at the bottom when removed from the cabinet I employ devices which are embodied in, or connected with, the projections 33 and 34, and which are adapted to be moved into cooperative engagement by the relative sliding movement by which the frames are removed from the cabinet. To this end each member 33 is provided with a laterally-projecting stud 25, while each member 34 is provided with a slot 26, thus giving the member the form of a hook. As shown in Fig. 1, in the case of the two frames illustrated as in horizontal position, the studs 25 and the hooks are sub stantially on the same level when the frames are in horizontal position. Accordingly, when the frames are drawn forwardly upon each other, after having been disengaged from the support 13, the several studs engage the respective hooks. In this manner the relative sliding movement of the frames is arrested at the moment when the frames are all in exactly superposed position, that is, with what are normally their upper and lower edges in alinement. At the same time the studs and hooks act to prevent separation of the frames by movement transverse to the planes of the frames. After the frames have been interlocked at the bottom, as just described, it is necessary to secure them both against separating movement at the top and against relative sliding movement in a direction to disengage the studs from the hooks. To this end the rearmost frame is provided, at each lateral edge, with a clip 27 of sheet-metal pivoted thereon by means of a screw 28. The free end of the clip 27 has the form of a hook or lug 29. Normally the clip lies in the position of Fig. 1 with the extremity 29 in engagement with the back of the rearmost frame, but when the clip is to be used it is swung forwardly to the position of Fig. 5 and may then be resiliently engaged with the upper extremity of a bar 30 on the foremost frame. Owing to the inclined position thus assumed by the clip it acts both to prevent separation of the tops of the frames and to prevent relative sliding movement by which the studs may be disengaged from the hooks.- The frames are now securely fastened together, so that they may be transported or stored apart from the cabinet. Obviously, however, by disengaging the clips 27 the frames may beseparated if desirable, so as to be stored in any convenient numbers in such spaces as may be available in a safe or other place of deposit. To replace the frames in the cabinet they are laid in horizontal position thereon with the pivots of the foremost frame resting upon the cam-portions 20 of the locking-arms, and the clips 27 are then moved to inoperative position. The locking-arms are then swung rearwa-rdly, and since they engage the pivots from in front their movement is imparted to the latter so as to cause the frames to have a rearward sliding movement by which the pivots are moved into engagement with the notches in the supports 13. By this same movement the 'studs 25 are disengaged from the slots 26, and the frames may then be swung to normal upright position.

lVhile the studs and hooks cooperate as above described when the frames are in horizontal position, it will be apparent that they will not engage each other when the frames, during the use of the account-register, are being'swung upwardly or downwardly in any number.

This is due to the fact that the linear distance between the pivotal axes of the adjacent frames isgreater than the distance bet-ween these pivots when the frames are in the position of Fig. 5, so that the studs swing clear of the outer extremities of the hooks instead of engaging the hooks at this time.

As the foremost and rearmost frames require no interlocking devices on their front and rear surfaces, respectively, these frames may be provided at their lateral edges with solid bars 30 and 32 respectively. To prevent the frames from slamming when they are swung forwardly and downwardly, buffers 31 of rubber, or other suitable material, are mounted on the base of the cabinet in position to be engaged by the bars 30.

My invention is not limited to the embodi ment thereof hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, but may be embodied in various other forms within the nature of the invention as-it is defined in the following claims.

I claim 1. An account-register having, in combination, a plurality of bill-holder frames provided with interlocking devices to secure the frames together, said devices being movable planes, and means for pivotally supporting the frames at the bottom with their pivotal axes arranged in an inclined plane.

3. An account-register having, in combination, a lurality of bill-holder frames provided wlth interlocking devices to secure the frames together at the bottom, said devices being movable into cooperative posi tion by relative movements of the frames in their respective planes, and means for pivotally supporting the frames at the bottom with their pivotal axes arranged in an inclined plane.

4. An account-register having, in combination, a plurality of bill-holder frames provided, near the bottom, with interlocking devices, said devices comprising a hook on each frame and an abutment on the next adjacent j frame adapted to be engaged with said hook by a relative movement of the two frames in their respective planes, and means for pivotally supportingthe frames at the bottom with their pivotal axes arranged in an inclined plane.

5. An account-register having, in combination, a plurality of bill-holder frames provided with interengageable devices by which relative sliding movement of the frame is limited in one direction to retain the frames in position with their upper and lower edges in substantial alinement, means for detachably connecting the frames together when not in use, said means being adapted both to prevent separation of the frames and to prevent relative sliding movement to disengage said devices, and means for pivotally supporting the frames in relative positions in which said devices are normally out of operative engagement.

- An account-register having, in combination, a plurality of bill-holder frames provided at the bottom with pivots, a support for the frames-provided with upwardlyopening recesses to receive said pivots, and means for raisingone or more of the pivots to disengage them from the recesses and facilitate the removal of the frames from the support.

7. An account-register having, in combination, a plurality of bill-holder frames provided at the bottom with pivots, a support for the frames provided with recesses to receive said pivots, and unitary means for locking the pivots iii the recesses when the account-register is in use, and for expelling the pivots from the recesses when the billholder frames are to be removed from the support.

8. An account-register having, in combination, a plurality of bill-holder frames provided with interengageable devices to prevent relative lateral sliding movements of the frames, the frames being also provided at the bottom with laterally-projecting piv ots, two inclined supports provided with re cesses to receive said pivots, means for securing the frames together in alining position when removed from the supports, and means for engaging the pivots and producing a relative sliding movement of the frames to engage the pivots with said recesses when the frames are applied to the supports.

9. An account-register having, in combination, a plurality of bill-holder frames, each frame being provided at its lateral edges with oppositely-disposed forwardly and rearwardly-projecting angle-irons, one of said angle-irons having its rear-portion formed to constitute a hook near the bottom of the frame, and the other angle-iron at the same edge of the frame being provided with an abutment adapted to engage the hook on the next adjacent frame, and means for pivotally supporting the frames at the Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

bottom with their pivotal axes separated by a distance sufficient to permit the abutments to clear the hooks when the frames are swung about said axes.

10. An account-register having, in combination, a plurality of bill-holder frames provided with cooperating abutments to limit relative sliding movements of the frames and hold the frames in alinement when not in use, means for securing the frames together and retaining said abutments in cooperative relation, and means for pivotally supporting the frames, when in use, in relative positions in which the frames are free to be swung about their pivotal axes.

11. An account-register having, in combi-.

nation, a plurality of bill-holder frames provided with pivots at the bottom, an inclined support provided with recesses to receive said pivots, and an arm pivoted adjacent the lower end of said support, the arm having a portion formed to engage the pivots and lock them in the recesses, and another portion formed to engage one or more of the pivots and to expel them from the recesses when the arm is swung out of locking position.

ALBERT F. STAPLES.

Witnesses A. E. GARwooD, Gno. BURD.

Washington, I). C. 

